VESSEL operators increasingly demand more bandwidth and security options for communications, according to a major satcom company.

“We believe an explosion will be seen in this area, as it has been on land,” Eric Ceuppens, Europe-Asia CEO for Germany’s Vizada, told DPC at the Shipbuilding, Machinery & Maritime Technology exhibition and conference being held in Hamburg this morning.

Ceuppens said greater operational efficiency drives communications innovation at sea. He predicted that maritime users will demand cheaper options and move toward flat-fee plans, more control of onboard IT use and more outsourcing of IT services.

Vizada’s marketing manager Jessika Dammert warned that “a computer virus could shut down all the ship’s communications”, which has led to anti-virus programs to protect remote computers and local area networks.